All We've Lost
by decarine
Summary: Konoha has gone through hell and a great men have fallen. Neji and Tenten struggle to find peace in this cruel and ever changing world.
1. Chapter 1: Farewell

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters.

**Chapter 1:** Farewell

"We've lost so much..." Tenten's eyes filled with tears as she choked a little and looked away from the ceremony.

Neji put a comforting hand on her shoulder and stared forward in the open casket.

The room was silent, only a sobbing Lee could be heard throughout the room.

"Gai-sensei!" Lee sobbed as snot dripped out of his nose pathetically. He made a fool of himself but he didn't care. He felt broken, all the youthful hope that he knew was sucked out of him. Nothing mattered in that moment to him; only unending despair and crushing loneliness.

They were older now. They knew people don't come back from the dead and Gai was not going to be a special exception. The battle between Konoha and the Akatsuki raged on for years with the inclusion of other impossibly terrfiying enemies with strength of an unbelievable magnitude. The city was in shambles, people were dying left and right, the population diminished rapidly. And now one of their strongest warriors fell.

A white haired man bent down next to Lee and said softly," It's time to go Lee."

Lee shook his head, crying into his arms next to the casket," I can't leave him... We're always together... Always..."

Kakashi stood up and looked at Tenten motioning her to come to Lee's side. Her knees felt weak and she could barely remain standing. Neji noticed and let her hold onto his arm for support. Hot tears streamed down her face and she walked over to Lee in his black jumpsuit. She fell to her knees and moved a tendril of her disheveled hair that had fallen across her flushed porcelain face. She stared into the casket and then looked at Kakashi.

_Farewell, even though you are gone, I will remember you. How much have we lost since that day? I don't know if I can bring myself to remember you anymore. Even in this world where you no longer exist, I promise I won't forget. _


	2. Chapter 2: New Mission

**Chapter 2:** New Mission

Two years had passed since Gai-sensei's death and nothing seemed to be as bright as it used to be. Tenten stretched out her arms, her beautiful dark brown hair had grown long and fell softly along the curve of her bare back. Her chocolate eyes cast downwards as she woke up for a new day. She looked out her window but the light was too bright for her as she squinted and shut the curtains tightly. She was used to the cold darkness that her small room provided and she was comfortable. She was not the innocent young girl she was back then, she thought to herself. Nothing is the same and it never will be. Tenten stood up from her bed and began to get dressed; a picture of Team Gai was sitting precariously on the side of her dresser collecting dust and a peak of golden sunshine danced on the glass.

xxx

Tenten walked along a small pasture with a rolling green meadow. She stopped as she spotted a familiar boy waiting for her by a large boulder in the middle of the meadow. 

"You're up early for once," she smiled and teased him.

Neji looked away sheepishly. The Hyuuga boy had developed a bad oversleeping habit a year ago and had a difficult time fixing his schedule. He had grown taller since two years ago and his frame was more muscular and fit from all his intensive taijutsu training.

"I have trouble sleeping. The usual." He stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

She looked around for a second and asked," Where's Lee?"

"He can't make it today."

"Again!? You can't be serious, not today of all days..."

"He's not feeling well. He's in the hospital with Sakura."

Tenten crossed her arms," Well at least some things don't change."

Lee had fallen into a deep depression after Gai's death but he was able to bring himself out of it with the help of some good friends. While there are some dark times here and there, things seemed to have calmed down.

A swift roll of wind brushed against their faces and Kakashi appeared before them," Yo."

"Kakashi-sensei," Neji looked at the white haired man. Although Kakashi was still young, his face said otherwise from two years of stress and battle.

"I didn't know you were going to be leading us on this mission," Tenten said, impressed by the high level sensei they were given to complete this mission.

"You guys should have been briefed on the mission details. I'm not here as your sensei but as a fellow jounin. This mission is going to be extremely dangerous we can't bring too many people so you two are one of the best we have right now."

"That is high praise coming from you." Neji stated.

"It's only fact now." Kakashi brushed his hair back, looking tired he said," This is an A-rank mission. I don't think I need to tell you the stakes. Neji is familiar with them but Tenten is new to A-rank so I expect you to watch out for her Neji."

"Yes sir."

"All right, let's head out.

xxx

A shinobi must always put the mission first.

Tenten repeated the mantra to herself as the three went out into the tall forest.

They were going to a very dangerous area known to be controlled by rogue shinobi and high level targets of great importance. They received a tip off that some Akatsuki members were going to be there to secure some documents that would give them a great advantage over Konoha in possible upcoming battles for the jinchurikis.

Suddenly, Kakashi signals for them to stop. The three quickly halt their running and back up on a large branch high up in the forest.

"What's going on?" Tenten asked nervously. She had not felt a single presence near them as they were running.

"Shh. Someone." Kakashi whispered sharply.

She stared at him; he was truly out of her league.

"Byakugan!" Neji's eyes strained as he scanned the area for any suspicious persons.

The area seemed to be quiet until he noticed something," Over there. Behind that fallen tree."

Before the three could react, a deep voice was heard behind the noticed area," _Suiton: Kirigakure no Jutsu." (Hidden Mist Technique) _


	3. Chapter 3: Water Prison

**Chapter 3: **Water Prison

"Suiton: Kirigakure no jutsu." (Hidden Mist Technique)

A blast of icy mist shrouded the entire area. Tenten wiped her face from the frosty cold and they all jumped backwards in response but slightly too far away from each other on accident. The mist made it difficult to see anyone unless they were right in front of you.

"Neji!?" Tenten pulled out a scroll and a shuriken in one hand, looking around tensely.

The weapons specialist was at a great disadvantage considering her long range abilities, this mist would allow an enemy to come right up to her without her noticing and kill her.

Her heart skips a beat when a pair of large powerful arms engulf her and pull her down a set of trees.

"Who-!?" Tenten gasps to realize it was Neji who pulled her away from a flurry of kunai connecting with the tree.

"Kakashi is gone." Neji looks at her intensely.

"What!? What do you mean gone?"

"His chakra disappeared."

Tenten pulled out a giant fan from her weapons scroll and jumped high into the air, blowing all of the mist away with her fan.

As she jumped down she looked at Neji," It's probably better for both of us to fight head on."

He nodded at her and using his byakugan, he searched for the enemy. Neji looked up and grabbed Tenten's arm," There in the sky!"

Three dangerous looking men cloaked in black and blue had jumped into the sky and already had their hand signs ready before the duo could react.

"Suiton: Suirō no Jutsu!" (Water Release: Water Prison) Two of the men yelled and suddenly Tenten and Neji were trapped in an inescapable prison of water.

Tenten choked as she tried to open her eyes beneath the water, she saw a blurry vision of the man in the cloak. His face was difficult to see for her as she had trouble opening her eyes fully under water.

"Tenten!" Neji's voice was muffled in the water prison that they were both trapped in.

A third man jumped behind the two that had their arms in the water bubble that had them trapped.

He laughed and Tenten could not make out what he said as everything turned black.

"...Tenten!"


	4. Chapter 4: Captured

**Chapter 4:** Captured

There was a musty dark smell coming from all directions and her skin was freezing and shivering. Tenten opened her eyes slowly and as everything came into focus she saw that her hands and feet were chained to the cold and wet stone floor of an old dungeon. It was a small space with metal bars. She noticed cobwebs, rats and dark dried blood stains on the metal bars. Tenten looked around and saw Neji chained to the corner with his arms behind him and to the wall. His legs also had a heavy ball chain on them. She felt pain all over her body and her shoulder ached as she winced in pain. There was a small cut oozing from her leg but she ignored it and tried to push herself towards an unconscious Neji.

"Neji..." She choked," Wake up."

She dragged her chained legs towards him and shook him with her chained hands.

"Neji!"

The boy slowly brought himself into a sitting position and coughed," What the hell..."

"Neji..." Tenten murmured.

"What happened...?"

"I don't know." Tenten was terrified. She looked around, her heart racing in her chest. Death could be upon them at any moment and her adrenaline was going crazy. In that small space there was only the two of them and a small window very high up where the moonlight peaked through. She tried to calm herself. There was no point in being scared. Be strong for Neji.

Neji regained his composure after taking in the surroundings.

"There are a few possibilities. One: we are hostages. Two: They're going to kill us. But if they were going to then they would have done it earlier when we were captured. Three: we escape somehow." Neji stated calmly.

He activated his byakugan and scanned the area.

"We seem to be underneath a larger mansion-like place. There are a series of tunnels running about beneath and beside us."

"What can we possibly do about these chains?" Tenten stared at her hands and feet. She felt completely hopeless without her weapons.

"Shh. Someone is coming."

A dark figure approached their dungeon cell slowly with a click and clack of his sandals.

"Well what do we have here. I was just in the middle of some very important business and to my surprise we captured two very rare people haven't we?" A man spoke dangerously. His voice was hoarse and deep. When he walked into the light of the moon, they saw his face. A large scar running down the side of his neck and he wore nothing over his dark mass of hair so they did not know what he was affiliated with. He seemed to be rather young and well built.

"What are you going to do with us," Tenten asked quietly.

"Let's see we have two jounin from Konoha and by heavens, one of them is a Hyuuga. How very special."

The man opened the cell door fearlessly. He knew they were unable to move with their injuries and chains, mocking them with the open door. He kneeled down in front of Tenten and grabbed her chin forcefully.

"Tenten!" Neji was about to lunge at the man but he was struck down.

"S-stop! Don't hurt him." Tenten begged.

The man pulled her face back to look at him and he peered into her eyes. "What beautiful brown eyes you have." A nasty grin came across his face," I love that pretty look in your eyes. Are you afraid?"

Tenten tried to be brave but her eyes betrayed her façade.

Neji was fuming in the corner, his face bleeding from the blow he took earlier.

The man threw Tenten into Neji and they collided into the wall.

"If you rats stay quiet and don't try anything stupid everything will be fine. I'm sure you'll both catch a pretty penny for me. Otherwise I'll just have to throw you to the sharks or something."

Neji and Tenten looked down as he shut the cell door and walked out.

"Tenten are you okay? That bastard I'll kill him..." The Hyuuga boy grit his teeth angrily.

"I-I'm fine."

"You're not. You're shaking like crazy. Are you cold?" He asked.

She was. The dungeon was freezing and she was wearing a sleeveless shirt and thin pants since they stripped her of her vest and equipment.

"It's not too bad," she smiled at him," I think we'll both be fine."

Neji looked at her for a moment and smiled a little," Yeah. Come over here."

"What?"

"Come sit next to me so we can share body heat."

Tenten's face flushed red but she moved over to him and leaned against his shoulder. With her hands chained in front and his chained in back, it was a slightly awkward position but she felt warm nonetheless.


End file.
